Ladder bench

ABSTRACT

A device comprising a substantially horizontal telescopically arranged bench surface mounted on ladder-like supports located at each end of the bench. These ladder supports are extendable so that the bench may be raised to scaffold height. In addition these supports are hingedly attached to the bench such that the drive may be collapsed for storage or transporting. Also attached to the bench is a single ladder-like extension collapsibly mounted on a double action hinge.

United States Patent Jones 1 1 Mar. 27, 1973 541 LADDER BENCH r 1,639,009 8/1927 Singley ..182/163 [76] Inventor: Mattie Lou Jones, 1913 N. Dale gz zsw Mabry, Tampa Fla 33607 a e [22] Filed: J 1 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado [21] APPL No: 148,712 Attorney-Stefan M. Stein [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl ..l82/1l8,182/152 [51] Int. Cl ..E04g l/30 A device comprising a Substantially horizontal tele- [58] Fi ld 5 S h 182/118 1 15, 152 27 28 scopically arranged bench surface mounted on ladder- 182/163, 120, 155 like supports located at each end of the bench. These ladder supports are extendable so that the bench may [56] References Cited be raised to scaffold height. In addition these supports are hingedly attached to the bench such that the drive UNITED STATES PATENTS may be collapsed for storage or transporting. Also at- 3,250,344 5/1966 Romano ..l82/118 tached to the bench is a singleladder-like extension 2,371,092 3/1945 ..182/115 collapsibly mounted on a double action hinge. 2,899,011 8/1959 ...l82/l20 2,012,592 8/1935 182/118 12 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZYIQYS ,5 1

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I {km 68 h 1 o INVENTOR.

" MATTIE LOU JONES ATTORNEY.

LADDER BENCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a portable bench and ladder combination device which may be used as a work bench or scaffold. More specifically, the invention relates to a bench mounted on adjustable ladder-like supports.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the home people generally have only an occasional need for a ladder-like or extension device. Since the requirements of this type of device are infrequent, the expense of purchasing such a device is often unnecessarily burdensome. For this reason, numerous efforts has been made to design apparatus that can fulfill a multiplicity of functions. Unfortunately, the structural requirements dictated by one or more of the functions is often to the exclusion of the structural requirements of some or all the remaining functions. As a conflicting structural consideration in achieving a multipurpose device.

Many of the devices now available are designed to function primarily as furniture. More specifically, some devices show chairs or stools having a step ladder structure pivotedly attached to form a part of the chair and capable of being positioned in a converted position so as to form a ladder-like arrangement. Still other. devices disclose a table and step ladder combination wherein legs of ladder are arranged beneath the table when in a normal position. The table and ladder are pivotedly connected-such that the ladder legs may be arranged to form a ladder structure. Because of the compromise in design dictated by the multiplicity of functions these devices exhibit numerous disadvantages. For example,

many of the devices are relatively unstable in the extended position and provide only a limited degree of extension. In others the support or work surface is too BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the ladder bench in fully extended position.

FIG. 2 shows an end on view of FIG. I of the ladder bench in fully extended position.

FIG. 3 shows a partial cross sectional view'of bench top taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

the

FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the top ladder and support ladder connected to the bench top.

FIG. 5 shows an end view of FIG. 4 of the ladder and support ladder attached to the bench top.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the ladder bench folded for carriage or storage.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the ladder bench folded for carriage or storage.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a ladder and bench combination device that can be used as a bench or scaffold. As previously discussed numerous efforts made to design a multi purpose ladder-like device have had limited success because of inherent conflicts of structural design.

By combining the features of a useful work bench and adjustable ladder, the present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages found in these devices. In this device the inventor has embodied a useful work bench which may be adjusted vertically to operate as a scaffold. In addition, the single ladder mounted on the work bench provides an additional vertical extension to the apparatus to increase the area accessible from the device. I

Applicant's device comprises a portable telescoping bench with first and second interlocking bench members. These interlocking members include a means to lock the members in fixed relation to each other when the bench is fully extended.

Included in the second bench member is a locking channel which cooperates with the locking shaft of the ladder extension in operative position.

A latch and tension spring mechanism is attached to the bench so that the support ladders and ladder extension, hereinafter described, may be locked in position when the entire device is in the folded or collapsed position. A handle suitable for carrying the device in the collapsed position is attached to the first interlocking bench member. An anti-skid tread is attached to the upper surface of the bench to prevent any one from slipping when standing on the bench.

An alternative embodiment includes a first and second bench member hingedly attached so that the bench is collapsed by folding the two members rather than telescoping them as in the primary embodiment.

Pivotally attached at each end of the bench are collapsable ladder-like supports. These supports comprise a first and second elements interconnected by a hinge so that the height of the bench may be varied. The first and second elements include an aperture and locking pin respectively whereby the elements are held in alignment relative to each other when the device is extended to scaffold 'height. The ladder-like supports are designed to collapse and fold compactly into the bottom portion of the bench members. 7

Attached to the upper surface of .the bench is a ladder-like extension mounted by means of a double action hinge. This extension includes a locking shaft which cooperatively engages the locking channel formed in the second bench member to lock the extension in a substantially vertical position relative to the bench members when operationally assembled.

.set forth in the scope latch mechanism is then disengaged from the upper ladder extension and support ladders. The upper ladder is then pivoted until it is substantially in vertical position relative to the bench top. In this position, the locking shaft is positioned in the locking channel of the second bench member to lock the upper ladder extension in position.

The support ladders are then pivoted outward until the upper most portion of the first elements engage the under surface of the bench members. In this position the device operates as a bench with the second elements resting on the supporting surface. If the operator desires to use the bench as a scaffold, the second elements of the support ladders are rotated outwardly and about the hinge located in the mid portion of the first and second element until the elements are aligned. In this position a locking pin provided in the first element will seat in the aperture provided in'the second element to fix the position of the first and second element relative to each other.

Of course the bench and scaffold can be used without the upper ladder extension.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction of elements and arrangement of partswhich are exemplified in the construction hereinafter of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in FIG. lthe present invention comprises a collapsable bench and ladder combination generally indicated at 10. The ladder bench 10 includes interlocking bench members 12 and 14, upper ladder extension 16 and support ladders 18. Interlocking bench members 12 and 14 comprise the bench top including handle 20 mounted on a vertical surface 22 of first bench member 12, aperture 24 formed in vertical surface 22 and spring loaded locking pin 26 fixed on vertical surface 28 of second bench member 14.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 bench members 12 and.14

or dimensions'of 12 and exterior dimensions of 14 are ladder 16 in relative position to member 14 when the device is operatively assembled.

Upper ladder extension 16 is attached to second bench member 14 by a pair of double means 32 including movable plates 34 and fixed plates 36. Plates 36 are attached to bench member 14 on either side. Pivot points 38 and 40 are formed in plates 34 and 36 respectively. Attaching means including bolt 44 and nut 46 are used to attach movable plate 34 to fixed plate 36 at pivot point 40. The upper ladder 16 is attached to the other extreme of movable plates 34 at pivot points 36 by means of rod 48 which through apertures suitably formed in the lower portion of ladder 16 by means of locking nuts 50. As clearly shown in FIG. 4 plate 34 engages upper surface 13 of bench member 14. In this position extension 16 is in its upper extended position.

Support ladders 18 comprise first'elements 54 and second elements hingedly connected by hinges 60. First elements 54 include a pair of parallel arranged exten sion legs 54 held in fixed relation to each other by parallel rungs 58. A similarly arranged'parallel set of lower extension legs 56 are also interconnected by rung 58. First elements 54 are pivotedly attached to the outer portion of interlocking bench members 12 and 14 by means of mounting plates 62 formed in the upper portion of elements 54 and mounting plate 64 formed on the under side of bench members 12 and 14. Support ladders 18 also include locking apertures .66

formed in second elements 56 and locking pins 68 arranged on first elements 54 so that when aligned in extended position elements 54 and 56 are locked securely in place. I

'As shown in FIG. 6, attached to plate 70 which is formed on the'under portion of member 14 is tension spring 72 and locking latch 74 such that when support ladders l8 and ladder extension 16-are in the folded position locking latch 74 will engage support ladders 18 and ladder l6-to lock them securely against support ladders 1 8. I

An alternativeernbodiment is shown in FIG. 7 where interlocking members12 and. are folded about hinge 76 rather than collapsed by telescoping.

such that bench member 14 fits movably within bench It is a'simple operation to extend the ladder bench from its closed position as shown in FIG. 6 to its extended position as shown in FIG. 1 by sliding bench member 12 and 14 outwardly in opposite directions relative to each other. As bench members 12 and 14 are fully extended, locking pin 26 will seat in operture 24 to lock bench members 12 and 14 in fixed position relative to one another.

In the alternative embodiment members 12 and 14 are pivoted outward about hinge 76 until interior surfaces 7 8 and 80 mutually engage with one another.

Locking latch 74 is then disengaged from 16 so that the extension 16 may be pivoted about pivot points 36 and 40 so that member 32 comes to rest in substantially horizonal position on member 14. With extension 16 in a substantially vertical position, locking shaft 52- is swung downward'and seated into locking channel 51 formed on the upper surface of member 14. First elements 54 are then pivoted downward and out so that plate 62 engages the under portion of members 12 and 14. This engagement with the weight of the bench acts downward on these support ladders and holds ladders 18 in their operative position. In the unextended or bench position the entire assembly will rest on the lower extreme of elements 54 with second elements 56 resting on the supporting surface beneath bench 10. If the operator desires to adjust bench l0 vertically to scaffold height, second elements 56 are rotated to align with elements 54. In this position spring loaded locking pin 68 will position itself in locking aperture 66 to lock elements 54 and 56 in alignment.

To collapse device the operator need merely reverse the order. To unlock both pins 26 and'68 the operator simply applies pressure inwardly against pins 26 and 68 and moving the respective apertures 24 and 66 to disalignapertures 24 and 66 with pins 26 and 68 respectively.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Now that the invention has been described,

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible bench and ladder combination device comprising: bench means including at least one bench member, support means pivotally attached to said bench means in supporting relation to a supporting surface, extension means movably' connected to said bench means, hinge means interconnected between said bench means and said extension means, said hinge means including a first and second hinge plate means, said first plate being fixedly mounted relative to said bench means and said second plate being movably mounted relative to said bench means, said second plate interconnected between said extension means and said first plate and disposed in supporting relation between said bench means and said extension means.

2. A collapsible bench and ladder combination as in claim 1 wherein said hinge means is disposed so as to movably position said extension in an extendible position or a closed position, said extension means having a longitudinal dimension sufficient to support said support means in a non-extended position when said extension is in a closed position.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said bench member comprises a plurality of bench members including first and second bench members movably connected to one another such that a dimension of said bench means may includes a retainin means -to interlock said first and second bench mem ers, said retaining means comprising substantially U-shape channels formed on said first 'and second bench member, said channels arranged relative to one another on the respective first and second bench members so as to engage one another.

6. A device as in claim 3 wherein said bench members further include a strengthening means including a plurality of substantially V-shape channels formed along the longitudinal surfaces of said bench members and arranged such that said V-shape channels formed in said first bench member fit into corresponding V- shape channels formed in said second bench member.

7. A device as in claim 1 wherein said bench means includes an anti-skid means mounted thereon.

8. A device as in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a plurality of support members each including a pair of parallel members interconnected by a plurality of rungs arranged parallel to one another and attached to said parallel members at substantially right angles to, said parallel members, said parallel'members being pivotally attached to said bench means.

9. A device as in claim 8 wherein said support members include first and second elements hingedly attached to each other whereby the height of said benc-h means may be extended by aligning said upper and lower extensions.

10. A device as in claim 9 wherein said first and second elements include element locking means to lock said first and second elements in fixed position relative to oneanother when operatively assembled in extended position.

11. A device as in claim 1 wherein said extension means comprises a plurality of extension rungs arranged substantially parallel to each other on said extension means, said support member pivotally attached to said bench means whereby said extension means is rotated into the plane of said bench means when said device is in an non-extended position.

12. A device as in claim 11 wherein said extension means includes an extension locking means that cooperates with said bench means to fix the position of said extension means relative to said bench means when said device is operatively assembled.

i t i i Pb-wso UNETED STATES PATENT OFF; E

A CERTLMC TE 0r commcrmm Patent No. 2 Dated March 27, 1973 InVentor( S Mattie Lou Jones It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

in the Abstract Line 6, delete "drive" and insert therefor -c3 evice.

Signed and-sealed this 13 day of August 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. c. MARSHALL DA-NN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A collapsible bench and ladder combination device comprising: bench means including at least one bench member, support means pivotally attached to said bench means in supporting relation to a supporting surface, extension means movably connected to said bench means, hinge means interconnected between said bench means and said extension means, said hinge means including a first and second hinge plate means, said first plate being fixedly mounted relative to said bench means and said second plate being movably mounted relative to said bench means, said second plate interconnected between said extensiOn means and said first plate and disposed in supporting relation between said bench means and said extension means.
 2. A collapsible bench and ladder combination as in claim 1 wherein said hinge means is disposed so as to movably position said extension in an extendible position or a closed position, said extension means having a longitudinal dimension sufficient to support said support means in a non-extended position when said extension is in a closed position.
 3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said bench member comprises a plurality of bench members including first and second bench members movably connected to one another such that a dimension of said bench means may be adjusted, whereby the overall size of said bench means may be changed by relative movement of said second bench member relative to said first bench member.
 4. A device as in claim 3 further including locking means connected to said bench means to lock the position of said first bench member relative to said second bench member when said device is operatively assembled.
 5. A device as in claim 3 wherein said bench means includes a retaining means to interlock said first and second bench members, said retaining means comprising substantially U-shape channels formed on said first and second bench member, said channels arranged relative to one another on the respective first and second bench members so as to engage one another.
 6. A device as in claim 3 wherein said bench members further include a strengthening means including a plurality of substantially V-shape channels formed along the longitudinal surfaces of said bench members and arranged such that said V-shape channels formed in said first bench member fit into corresponding V-shape channels formed in said second bench member.
 7. A device as in claim 1 wherein said bench means includes an anti-skid means mounted thereon.
 8. A device as in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a plurality of support members each including a pair of parallel members interconnected by a plurality of rungs arranged parallel to one another and attached to said parallel members at substantially right angles to said parallel members, said parallel members being pivotally attached to said bench means.
 9. A device as in claim 8 wherein said support members include first and second elements hingedly attached to each other whereby the height of said bench means may be extended by aligning said upper and lower extensions.
 10. A device as in claim 9 wherein said first and second elements include element locking means to lock said first and second elements in fixed position relative to one another when operatively assembled in extended position.
 11. A device as in claim 1 wherein said extension means comprises a plurality of extension rungs arranged substantially parallel to each other on said extension means, said support member pivotally attached to said bench means whereby said extension means is rotated into the plane of said bench means when said device is in an non-extended position.
 12. A device as in claim 11 wherein said extension means includes an extension locking means that cooperates with said bench means to fix the position of said extension means relative to said bench means when said device is operatively assembled. 